Wetworks 1: Cambodian Calamity
by jon3776
Summary: Just another mission for the Council's wetworks team. Well, not just another adventure. This time Buffy and the Immortal are along for the ride. And there are cannibals involved. But still, something they can totally handle. Except for that one...


Wetworks 1: Cambodian Calamity Part 1 of 2  
By phoenixgod2000

Authors note: This story is a piece of action-fluff. There are so  
many dark, grim post chosen pieces that I decided to write a piece  
set in the near future where the scoobies are happy warriors closer  
to how they were in the early seasons, although with their hard  
fought wisdom and power still intact. I hope you like it.

Pairings: Willow/Xander/Dana (crazy slayer from Angel) andBuffy/Immortal.  
Yeah, you heard me right.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters—mores the pity.

This story is unbeta'd.

* * *

_2007  
Five years after Chosen_

The dark Italian nightclub pulsed with the twin beats of strobe  
lights and techno music. Bodies ground together in frenzied dance  
of sexual energy. Beautiful people of all appearances gathered to  
talk, dance, seduce, and love—for at least one night.

Willow Rosenberg was a long way from Sunnydale, California.

The young redhead nodded in time with the music's beat and let it  
flow over her body as she stood in the back of the club near the  
bar. She could feel the energy and passion being released into the  
air by the frenzied dancing to be intoxicating. The eddies of magic  
swirled, twisting through the dark club as the throng of humanity  
released emotional energy unconsciously—but since none of the people  
there were capable to tapping into that energy, it drifted unused  
through the air. No need for it to go to waste Willow mused. With  
hardly a thought, the powerful witch opened a small tap and let the  
energy flow into her magical core, beginning the slow process of  
restoring much of the energy lost during her last mission for the  
council. It wasn't pure magic, tainted as it was by sexual energy,  
but that aspect of the power could be harmlessly channeled with the  
aid of Xander and Dana.

"Your drinks are ready, bellezza rossa."

The bartender pushed a pair of brightly colored mixed drinks in her  
direction and gave the redheaded witch a seductive smile that begged  
for an answer from the young beauty. Willow shot the man a safe,  
noncommittal grin and gave him a handful of Euros, without bothering  
to count them. There was more than enough there to pay for the  
drinks as well as sympathy tip for the white toothed bartender.  
Money didn't mean all that much to her anymore.

Willow took a long look around, trying to spot either of her two  
lovers in the crowd. Frowning, Willow failed to pick up a glimpse  
of either Xander or Dana, but she saw the flare of a pale aura  
around a man leading a twentysomething girl off of the dance floor,  
towards a rear exit. The aura of a vampire who needed to feed.

"Hold these for me." Willow instructed the bartender. "I'll be  
right back."

A witch's work was never done.

* * *

"So how long are you in town for?"

"A few days, maybe a week. Long enough to see some sights and visit  
a few friends."

Alexander Lavelle Harris was very careful to keep his single good  
eye trained on the face of the Italian beauty who was hitting on him  
and not on the bronzed expanse of most impressive cleavage that was  
bound within her leather tube top.

"Good," she purred in seductively accented English. "I have a bag  
of some great coke at home just begging to be shared with someone  
special."

"I have a girlfriend."

"Invite her."

"Would you believe I have two girlfriends?" Xander asked hopefully.

_"IL più il meglio_—how you say? The more the merrier?"

The young—and very aggressive—beauty beamed at Xander. She didn't  
seem like she was going to be giving up anytime soon.

"Listen, I…uhhh…don't really do that stuff." he stammered. "I guess  
its fine for you and everything, well not fine, cause it's illegal  
and bad for you but…"

There was a time in his life when he would have given anything to  
have this sensual beauty throwing herself at him, Xander thought to  
himself, but that time had long since passed. All he wanted to do  
now was relax for a week with Dana and Willow while catching up with  
Buffy and doting on his sapphire-eyed goddaughter. He had almost  
died on the last mission and Willow had almost exhausted her  
reserves getting him and Dana out.

The girl frowned prettily at him when he was done talking. "Too  
bad." she murmured.

Standing up she smoothed out imaginary wrinkles in her tight, barely  
there skirt. Xander watched her flounce away, beaming a smile at a  
very receptive dancer on the wooden dance floor. _How quickly I am  
replaced _Xander mused to himself with a slightly relieved sigh. He  
would have hated to have the girl still been there when Dana got  
back from the bathroom. The slayer had a very low tolerance for  
women poaching her territory. She wouldn't have hurt the girl…much,  
but it was never a good idea to make Dana angry.

Xander frowned and looked around the club. Where was Willow at with  
the drinks?

* * *

Willow wrapped a mantle of magic around herself so that she would  
remain unnoticed by the vampire and his victim. Next she opened  
herself up to the power that coursed within her and let out a  
trickle of it to infuse through her veins, filling her with nearly  
slayer level strength and speed. It was the quietest and most  
efficient way to dispatch the monster. Enhancement magic wasn't all  
that draining so she could husband what remained of her power till  
she had a chance to recharge for longer than a few minutes.

She crept down the alley, keeping pace with the pair ahead of her.

* * *

"I don't feel so good. Is your car close by?"

Audrey Watson leaned against the wall of the alley outside the club  
to settle her stomach. She had way too much to drink. On Spring  
Break in Rome thanks to her parents, Audrey never drank this much  
normally but that's what Spring Break was for, wasn't it? After  
this she vowed that she wasn't going to drink ever again. It just  
wasn't worth it.

"It's close. Parking lot at the end of the alley."

She smiled at Guillermo. He was so nice. And handsome too. His  
accent was really sexy. He totally saw that she was in pain and  
offered her a ride home. He was so unlike one of the college guys at  
the school she went to. One of those boys would have been all over  
her but Guillermo was so gentlemanly.

She stopped and doubled over, her stomach rebelling against the  
movement. Guillermo grabbed her and when she went to thank him, she  
let out a scream instead. He loomed over her with a twisted face  
and glowing yellow eyes.

"I think we're far enough so that I can stop for a meal." He  
pressed her against the wall of the alley and tugged on her hair  
until her neck veins stood out against her skin. She struggled  
hopelessly against his iron grip and closed her eyes, dreading the  
prick of his hollow fangs against her skin.

"Do you guys have some kind of international school you go to for  
stupid puns?"

Audrey felt the creatures cold hands pull away and she sucked air  
into her lungs. Opening her eyes, she saw a pretty red haired woman  
in her late twenties stood a few feet away. She wore a long black  
lace skirt, ankle length pointed boots, and a black tube top with a  
gauzy red shirt over the top. Her eyes seemed to shine in the  
darkened alley and her lips were quirked into a smile that belied  
the dangerousness of the situation.

The vampire's eyes widened momentarily but he quickly recovered his  
equilibrium. "Listen, bitch, I'm always hungry enough for seconds."  
he lisped between his fangs.

The redhead smiled coldly in response. "Bored now."

* * *

Willow watched as the vampire growled and rushed her. With the  
rational part of her mind she noted that he was stronger and faster  
than a newbie. Definitely close to a century. Probably smart  
normally. You didn't get to be a vamp in Rome if you suffered from  
terminal stupidity. But you also didn't get to eat regularly. He  
was hungry and it was making him sloppy.

She sidestepped his rush and flicked her leg out of her skirts side  
slit in a sidekick that cracked a few of his ribs and flung him into  
the side of the club. Not for the first time she thanked Xander for  
making all the clothes he bought her combat ready. She followed up  
with a punch that caught him on the chin. His head snapped back but  
he was tough enough to recover and send a lightning quick punch of  
his own drove her back a few steps.

Audrey watched in horror as the creature pressed his advantage and  
drove the girl backwards with a series of quick strikes.

They were moving so fast! Each figure was a blur to the intoxicated  
young girl. If it weren't for the look of fear on the redheads face  
she might not be able to tell who was winning the fight. But to her  
it looked like the creature that had been Guillermo was going to get  
her would-be rescuer.

Then Audrey blinked. It looked like thin blue flame surrounded the  
redheads hand and the girl slammed the fist into the center of  
Guillermo's chest and with a pop, he turned to ash. The woman  
turned towards Audrey and smiled. "I was faking." She said in a  
stage whisper.

Audrey nodded sickly. She leaned backwards against the wall as a  
wave of dizziness came over her. The redhead walked over and lent  
her an arm for support.

"Are you alright?" She asked sympathetically.

Audrey shook her head frantically. "W-W-What were those things?  
Who are you? How did you…"

The redhead answered, "In order, those things were vampires; my name  
is Willow, and magic." She smiled in a way that should have been  
comforting for Audrey but did nothing to warm the inebriated girl.

"Vampire?"

"Yeah," Willow answered sympathetically. "You have to be careful in  
clubs. They love to come to them so they can feed."

Audrey began to laugh hysterically. "Vampires. Magic. I…this…what  
world did I step into? How can these things exist? They aren't  
supposed to exist." She turned to Willow. "Are you like them? A  
monster? Do you eat vampires like they eat us?" She watched with  
mixed satisfaction and revulsion as the redheaded witch flinched.

"No," she whispered, "I'm not like them."

"I can't handle this." Audrey choked. "This, I don't want to  
remember this. I want things to go back to they way they were."

"Then forget."

Willow leaned forward and kissed the girl on the forehead.

* * *

Audrey Watson blinked and looked around. She was in an alley. A  
pretty redhead a few years older than her looked at her with some  
concern. Willow her memory identified. How had she gotten out  
here and how did she know Willow?

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I…I think so." Audrey answered. She smiled at Willow  
weakly. "I think I'm going to swear off drinking."

Willow grinned at her. "That might be for the best." She reached  
out and steadied the girl with a remarkably strong grip. "Let me  
walk you inside."

Audrey nodded and said again. "I am definitely going to stop  
drinking. I can't even remember what I'm doing out here."

* * *

_Flashback_

_"Xander!"_

_"Willow!"_

_The pretty redhead embarrassed the many British people around her by  
leaping on her friend and hugging him with a ferocious grip._

_"Down girl," the fit and tanned Alexander Harris warned. "You'll  
crush the souvenirs."_

_Willow let go with an expression of mock horror. "What did you get  
me, Xander? Is it cool? Is it magic? I hear African Shamans know  
all kinds about magic. Tell me everything. Were there more slayers  
there than anywhere else. Were they stronger? Africa was where  
slayers were first made so I was thinking that the connection might  
be stronger there than anywhere else..."_

_"Breathe Will, breathe." Xander interrupted with a smile. With a  
laugh he wrapped his arm around the petite redhead and the pair  
walked out of the British airport towards the waiting Council car._

_"Not that it isn't good to see you, Wills, but why exactly did you  
have Giles pull me out of Africa?"_

_"That is a totally separate thing. I just asked to borrow you for a  
little while." Her face shifted to a more serious expression. "We  
have a little problem with one of the slayers."_

* * *

Xander was weaving his way through the impacted dance floor when his  
beeper went off. He cursed and deftly avoided the flailing elbow of  
a dancer that had had a little too much to drink.

_Did your beeper just go off? _Willows thoughts intruded on his mind.

_Yeah, you?_

_Get Dana and meet me outside_

Xander wove his way to the other side of the dance floor and started  
searching for his slayer girlfriend.

No one was more surprised than he when he fell for the quiet,  
slightly unbalanced Slayer. She was a beguiling mix of innocence,  
sex appeal, and fun. She was damaged; there was no question about  
that. But thanks to him and Willow, the girl who Dana would have  
become had her life not become a twisted nightmare was slowly  
starting to surface. It was a personality tingled with the dark  
power of the slayer spirit and emotional damage, but the core  
personality was one of brightness and light.

Xander knew that few people understood the relationship between him,  
Willow, and Dana, but most of those people never saw them at play,  
when they weren't off on ugly council business. They never saw  
Willow's sexy come-on's in the privacy of their lives, they never  
saw Dana's sense of humor, dark as it was, and they never saw the  
fierce devotion Xander invested in his woman. All any of those  
people ever saw was the Council's most well-known and efficient  
roving operations team—who happened to have an odd personal  
relationship.

_Damnit_

Dana was still by the bathroom. A man in expensively cut clothes  
had corralled her to one of the nearby walls, using his body and one  
arm to fence her in, as he made an effort to convince the stunning  
young slayer of his virtues.

Xander couldn't really blame the guy. Dana was looking particularly  
fetching that evening in a modest black skirt, knee length black  
leather boots, and a white mans shirt with enough buttons undone to  
show off her perfectly toned stomach. A black bra could be seen  
beneath the shirt.

Xander also noted that Dana was hiding behind her hair, a sure sign  
of her uncertainty in the situation. He quickened his step, angry  
at the man on his girlfriend's behalf. She was still so delicate  
and fragile; she shouldn't have to put up with his overtures.

* * *

_Flashback_

_"What's wrong with her?" Xander asked softly._

_"Lots."_

_He and Willow stood in the doorway of the Slayer Compounds specially  
trained gym. They watched as the gyms sole occupant lifted weights  
that would stagger almost any other slayer with the frenetic passion  
of someone trying to avoid their own thoughts._

_Dana._

_The crazy, murdering Slayer out of Los Angles._

_Xander had heard the stories about Andrew's recovery of the girl and  
the conflict with Angel and Co. He so wished it could have been him  
to confront the grim vampire. "Is she still dangerous?" he asked._

_"Very. But she isn't getting confused anymore, and that's a start.  
Dana's mind was so fragmented by her life that the Empowerment spell  
filled in the gaps in her mind with bits and pieces of past and  
current slayers. She couldn't tell anymore what part of her reality  
was real and what part was the reality for slayers that had been  
dead for centuries." Willow shuddered. Mind effecting magic still  
brought up a lot of bad memories._

_Giles spoke up. "What makes her so special is that she has somehow  
managed to receive the same double dose of power as Buffy and  
Faith. I believe it has to do with all of the slayer memories that  
flooded her mind to fill in the fractures left by the poor girl's  
schizophrenia. Those memories were accompanied by more of the slayer  
spirit than is traditionally received."_

_"Why do you need me?" Xander asked._

_"I've been using the thought entering spell I used on Buffy that one  
time," Willow said, "to go into her thoughts and attempt to put the  
fragments together and form some stability and coherence. It's  
working up to a point but I need someone she trusts. Someone who  
can help me reach the deepest, most fragmented parts of her mind."_

_Xander turned to Willow and asked in a confused tone. "But why  
would she trust me, I've never even met her?"_

_Willow smiled at Xander and squeezed his hand. "But there are a  
whole lot of slayers inside her who've met you."_

* * *

Thad Hamilton gave the chick in front of him a gleaming smile that  
had won him the beds of a number of female models and actresses.  
But as many of his conquests as he had on his belt, he wanted none  
of them more than he wanted the girl in front of him.

She was a stunning mix of several races that gave her perfect  
cheekbones, silken ebony hair, and dusky skin. Her body was a  
beguiling mixture of slenderness and muscled strength that enticed  
him more than the waifish boniness of the average model.

"So I have a great bottle of Pinot at penthouse suite," he whispered  
seductively. "You could come back there and we could have a toast  
to Rome from my balcony. It has the best view in the city."

He watched the beauty expectantly. He hoped to see the flash of  
shock and surprise, maybe a little reluctance. And of course  
desire. He always saw desire.

Except this time.

"I have a boyfriend."

Her voice, soft and meek as it was, had a sexy throatiness that  
aroused him even more than he had been. He could tell that she had  
no idea just how pretty she was. That was good. He loved the ones  
with low self esteem. They were always so easy to manipulate. So  
he scoffed. "So what. Is he here right now?"

"Actually he is."

Thad spun around. A young man a few years older than himself stood  
there with his hands in his pockets. He wore clothes that were  
expertly tailored and were all black. Thad admitted that the guy  
was handsome, in a rugged adventurer sort of way. Not the look that  
was in favor in the fashion industry, but it worked on him. And the  
well worn eye patch added a hint of danger to his appearance. Idly,  
he wondered about getting one for himself, maybe it would add to his  
danger quotient.

"Stay away from Dana." The eye patched man growled.

"Or what. You'll stab me with your cutlass, pirate boy?" The male  
model laughed.

The man with the eye patch smiled. "Me? No. That's what I have her  
for."

Thad was about to respond when a vise clasped around his neck. The  
voice that whispered in his ear was the same sexy rasp, but all hint  
of fear or submission was gone.

"I am Xander's. And he is mine. Leave him alone or else."

Pressure continued to build on his neck until he thought his eyes  
would burst.

"Leave him alone, Dana." Xander ordered. "We have to go. Another  
mission has come up."

Thad felt the pressure release from around his neck and he gasped  
for air. He lay there and watched as the pretty girl and the guy  
left. The pair looked happy and the girl nestled in the guy's side  
as he wrapped a protective arm around her. He touched his neck at  
the rapidly appearing bruise and suddenly decided that respecting  
women had become much more of a focus in his life.

* * *

Dana and Xander walked out to the front of the club expecting to  
find Willow and maybe a cab that she had summoned.

What they weren't expecting was the white stretch limousine. A  
driver in a black uniform stood by an opened door. Willow was  
sitting by the open door talking with Buffy, who was clad in a  
beautiful black cocktail dress. Next to the eldest slayer was a man  
who put the male model hitting on Dana to shame. He appeared to be  
of Italian decent with perfectly chiseled features and shoulder  
length black hair tied in a small ponytail.

The Immortal. The lover of Buffy Summers and father of her  
daughter.

The ancient man nudged his companion and she turned to smile  
apologetically at the newcomers.

"Sorry to cut the vacation short, Xan. But we have a little  
situation."

"That's alright Buff," Xander grinned. "Those five minutes were  
almost too relaxing. I don't know what I would have done with a  
whole ten."

"Good. Then you'll love this mission." Buffy said. "It'll be like  
old times. Apocalypse and everything."

* * *

Alexander Harris sat in the stretch Limousine and watched his old  
friend and her lover nestle in each other's arms and trade seductive  
whispers into each other's ear.

The Italian sorcerer had been alive for centuries longer than Angel  
and Xander had been leery of the man at first. He was at best dark  
grey character in the underworld and Xander had worried for Buffy,  
that she was falling into old patterns, but he had to hand it to  
her, the blond slayer was doing better than he ever thought possible.

He worried after the battle of Sunnydale that putting together the  
new council might be too much for the still fragile woman. But she  
had risen to the challenge with her characteristic strength and  
stubbornness. The pressure off of her finally, the young woman had  
worked hard, but not alone, until she took the position as the head  
of the Italian branch of the Watchers Council. She spent more time  
at parties in at various embassies and training slayers than in the  
field killing demons. She had a job of well deserved ease, and took  
to the field only in the rarest circumstances—and not at all since  
her daughter had been born.

The immortal had proven to be a better man than Xander gave him  
credit for too. He loved Buffy. It shone in every movement, in  
every gesture and look. He was tough to his enemies and loyal to  
the people he cared for. Those were two things that Xander could  
definitely get on board with. As for his grayness, well, fatherhood  
had started to soften the ancient wanderer. He doted on his raven  
haired, sapphire eyed daughter, and protected her with all the  
powers of his formidable organization. An organization that he used  
in conjunction with the watchers council to great effect.

The pair made a formidable match, in the personal lives, as well as  
in the realm of supernatural. It was a well known fact now in the  
demon realms, that the Immortal had finally removed himself from his  
legendary neutrality and had taken a position as a player for the  
side of light.

But love could be funny that way

"We should stop by the hotel to pick up our things." Xander  
suggested

"I have already taken the liberty of doing so, Alexander." The  
immortal answered in a thick Italian accent that Xander knew was  
affected. He could speak three dozen human tongues and sound like a  
native in all of them if he wanted too.

Xander nodded and looked out the window of the limo and watched the  
old city disappear into the distance as they sped to the Immortals  
private landing strip.

"What are we dealing with Buffy, and why can't the local slayers  
handle it?" Now that it was time, Xander was totally serious.

Buffy slipped off her high heels and rubbed her feet with a pleased  
sigh. "The pain of being short," she muttered.

"Buffy," Xander warned.

"Cambodia." Was her terse reply.

"Ahh."

That explained it. Southeast Asia was one of the least settled  
places by the watchers council. Much of the area was still only  
settled by small villages and the old ways held sway. They didn't  
take kindly to interference by westerners and it took time to find  
local demon hunting groups and integrate them into the council. The  
Golden Candle Society was their greatest success but they had their  
hands full in China.

"It's a group of wizards and half-breed demons with a name that I  
can't pronounce in Cambodia. They got their god's sarcophagus from  
the Deeping Well and are just waiting for the right star alignment  
to wake him up."

"Let me guess," Xander said dryly. "The alignment is soon."

"About eighteen hours from now." Buffy said.

"Perfect."

* * *

The landing strip was just outside Rome and a sleek private jet sat  
on the runway waiting for them to climb on. A wheeled staircase led  
up to the open door at the front of the fuselage. The limo pulled  
up the staircase and everyone got out. The loud roar of engines  
just starting to warm up filled the air.

"Thanks for the lift, Buff." Xander said, "But you don't really  
have to walk us onto the airplane."

Buffy smiled perkily. "We," and she pointed between herself and the  
immortal, "are going with you."

"We got this one, Buffy," Xander protested. "You haven't been in  
the field in close to two years—not since Isabelle."

Buffy crossed her arms. "I know how bad the last mission was Xan, I  
know that Willow isn't anywhere near her full power. You're going  
to need a few more heavy hitters on this one." She  
grinned. "You're just lucky you happen to know a supercharged  
slayer willing to help you out."

"Buffy, you're a mom now; you can't be going on missions like  
this." Xander protested.

"Don't go there," Buffy warned in an iron voice. "Last time I  
heard, Rome was part of the world that would go boom if this guy  
wakes up. I'm going and that's that." She turned and disappeared  
up the stairs, moving at a speed that only a slayer could manage.

"That was unkind, Alexander." The Immortal rebuked. "You know that  
Buffy is the mightiest Slayer in the entire world and motherhood has  
not changed that. Apologize to her."

He ran up the steps, Dana following behind him. She didn't say  
anything to Xander but her narrowed gaze spoke volumes.

"We do need her." Willow said to Xander once the two of them had  
been left alone on the tarmac. "I am nowhere near full strength and  
Buffy and the Immortal are tough enough to a big help. Say your  
sorry when we get in the air."

Xander watched as Willow walked up the staircase, leaving him alone  
on the runway.

"Open mouth, insert foot." He muttered before joining his friends.

* * *

The interior of the plane was as luxurious as everything else the  
Immortal owned. Couches and artwork placed on wood paneled walls  
lent an almost old world air to the aircraft. Once Xander boarded  
and the door was shut a servant of the Immortal's guided everyone to  
chairs to be strapped into as the plane took off.

Once in the air everyone got up and moved into the lushly appointed  
lounge area to talk.

"I have your weapons and things in another room," the immortal  
volunteered.

"Thank you." Willow politely responded.

Dana flung herself long ways on one of the couches. Xander sat next  
to her and she shifted so that she could rest her feet on his lap.

"So what's our ETA," Xander asked while absently rubbing his  
slayer's feet.

"About ten hours," The immortal responded.

"Leaving us about…"

"Seven hours," Buffy responded, "to get in and do the job."

"Shouldn't be a problem," Xander said shrugging. "We cut it this  
close before."

"Who is the group anyway?" Willow asked. "Cambodian wizards?"

"The cult of Toc. Cannibal Cambodian wizards with vampire  
servants." Buffy clarified. "They are some bad people from what  
our agents say but we've had a few bigger problems in the area than  
them. They were on the get-to list but pretty far down it.

Xander leaned back. "They just got bumped up."

* * *

_Flashback_

_"Soooo…how was Africa?" Willow asked from her perch on Xander's  
bed. The two of them lay side by side staring up at the ceiling in  
Xander's room at the Council compound._

_"Nice." Xander said softly. "Sad. Poor. I don't think I've ever  
been to a place with friendlier people. They would give you the  
clothes off your back if you needed it. It's also just about the  
most violent place I have ever seen."_

_"Are you sorry you went?" Willow asked gently._

_Xander looked over at his best friend. "Only sorry that I didn't  
get to see you—see all of you--as much as I could."_

_He grinned and held his hands a foot a way from his chest. "I mean,  
have you seen Dawn lately? Va-Va-Voom!"_

_He barely blinked once when four pillows threw themselves at his  
head before he could blink. "No fair," he cried out through his  
laughter. "No magic in pillow fights."_

_Willow crossed her arms. "Since when?"_

_Xander shrugged helplessly. "Now?" he ventured sheepishly._

_Willow smiled at him softly, her soft eyes cutting though his heart  
more than he thought possible. "I missed you Xander. It hasn't  
been the same, not having you down the street from me anymore." Her  
voice dropped. "I missed you more than I thought I could miss  
anyone but Tara."_

_Xander scooted forward till he was only a few inches from her face.  
He could smell her willow scent mixed with desire, and knew he  
hadn't been misreading the signs. His heart pounded. The last time  
they were in this position they had both hurt the ones they loved.  
This time, nothing stood in their way if they wanted it._

_"Xander, I…"_

_The one eyed man put his finger up to her lips silencing her  
words. "I know," he whispered softly._

* * *

Willow stared out the window the plane, the miles passing unnoticed  
below her vision. Her thoughts were on the events of the night and  
the spell she had cast on the vampire victim.

The memory spell she had cast on her victim.

Even now, her stomach twisted with acid when she thought about what  
she had done. It was so easy, it took almost none of her magical  
reserves to eliminate and replace the memories of the events that  
had transpired in the alley. But then again, it hadn't taken much  
magic to modify Tara's memory either. Almost everything about magic  
came easily to her now. Her rampage had done more than destroy the  
magic box or almost end the world. It had permanently transformed  
her into a being of magic, a being maybe not even human anymore.  
Willow closed her eyes and let the hum of the airplane lull her into  
a state of meditation…

She could remember old talks with Tara and Jenny Calendar about the  
nature of magic where they would try and explain to her the  
interconnectedness of all things. She had scoffed at the idea  
thinking that it bore more resemblance to the pseudo-philosophy of  
the Star Wars universe than anything close to real life. But now  
she could feel the truth of it. Her senses were so attuned to the  
vagaries of life, magic, and destiny she thought she could hear what  
some medieval scholars called the Music of the Spheres—the  
otherworldly hum of magic and other dimensions. Sometimes, mostly  
times like these, she wanted nothing more than to disappear forever  
so that she could try and find its source.

She felt the presence of Xander and Dana enter the room behind her.  
Their auras filled the space in ways no physical body could  
duplicate. Dana's was fierce and strong, the aura of a slayer. But  
there was also an undercurrent of sweetness that was impossible to  
believe unless you saw past the physical presence the girl put  
forth. Xander's was different. There were swirls of animal rage  
and power that flickered through the aural splashes of passion that  
colored the whole, and of course there was the peace. It was the  
aura of a man who had found his place in the world, and it was a  
place that fit him like a glove. It was the aura of someone who had  
nothing left to prove. But with out a doubt the greatest emotion  
that filled his aura was love. A seemingly endless ability to love  
others with a depth that was nothing short of shocking.

"Whatever it is, Will, I'm sure you had a good reason to do it." He  
whispered softly as her two lovers moved to flank Willow.

Willow smiled without opening her eyes. Of course Xander would know  
what was bothering her. He always did. It was what Xander did. He noticed things.  
He sees the world clearly. He sees her clearly.

Willow slowly opened her eyes.

"The vamp I killed," she began, "He had a victim with him and she  
started flipping out when she saw him go poof. Looked like she  
couldn't handle the nasty truth so I changed her memory to forget  
that it happened while leaving behind just enough to try and prevent  
her from going off with any other vampires. It'll all eventually  
come back to her, but in a way that she'll be able to handle." She  
shook her head. "It's…it's just that it makes me think of the past.  
Tara…"

Xander rested his hand on her shoulder. "You did the right thing  
Wills. Not everyone can know what we know and do what we do. That's  
why we do it. To protect the people who can't."

"What I did, Xan?" Willow whispered. "That'll never be the right  
thing to do. It'll never be right."

* * *

_Nearly ten hours later  
Somewhere over Cambodia_

According to the intelligence briefing compiled by the Immortal's  
network, the Temple of Toc was located in a relatively unsettled  
region of Cambodia was still mostly overrun with forest and  
animals. The Cult consisted of perhaps a dozen acolytes of Toc,  
cannibal sorcerers one and all, and another two or three dozen  
vampires that were fed slaves they captured from outlying villages.

Toc, the Tyrant Lord of De'ree'gothla was the second most powerful  
of the true demons after Illyira. He ruled three dimensions without  
contest and was well on his way to conquering this one when all the  
old ones were imprisoned in the Deeping Well. He was a military  
genius in addition to possessing godlike powers. If he escaped it  
wouldn't take long for him to unite various demon factions and  
create an army that would conquer the Earth.

"So everyone understands the plan?" The immortal asked.

The five stood in the rear compartment of the plane, moments from  
jumping out of the aircraft. They all wore black clothes and knit  
caps, gear strapped to a harness that wrapped around their torso.  
Everyone but Dana that is. She didn't use any other weapons beyond  
a curved Gurkha knife that had been blessed by fakir of great  
power. He claimed it would pierce the hide of anything she came  
across, including a god. Everyone else had several incendiary  
grenades, knifes, stakes, a field medical kit, and a P-90 with extra  
ammunition. The Immortal and Xander also wore armored vests the  
others did not. Buffy and Dana were slayers and thus relied more on  
their agility to evade blows. Their natural toughness would take  
care of the rest. The armor would only slow them down and make them  
more likely to get injured. Likewise Willow, who was going to  
function as more of a slayer than witch on this mission thanks to  
her dangerously low reserves of magical energy wore no vest. She  
had spell components strapped to various easily accessible  
positions. While much of her magic was inaccessible due to her  
mystical exhaustion, she could still conjure up a little with the  
aid of the right ingredients.

"Yes." Xander answered. "If by plan you mean our mad dash towards  
the temple killing every cultist we come across." Xander shot a  
grin towards Buffy, "just like old times, right?"

"I'm feeling very nostalgic." Buffy answered agreeably.

Willow bit her lip. Her freckles stood out like tiny drops of blood  
against her pasty skin. "Do I have to really jump? Because I don't  
think I need to. I have enough power to levitate myself down  
without jumping. What if we need the extra parachute and we don't  
have one because you gave it to me when I don't really need one.  
That would of the badness. Right?"

Her voice rose until it was so high and thin it was coming out as a  
squeak by the end of the speech.

The Immortal gave her a dazzlingly bright smile. "Bella, do not  
worry. I will jump with you. It shall be as easy as dancing." He  
comforted.

The immortal flipped a latch and the door opened, filling the cabin  
with the roar of air. He guided the shaking redhead to the door.

"But I hate dancing!" Willow wailed as she leapt from plane.

Even over the roar of the airplane, Xander heard Dana's giggle as  
the dark haired slayer flung herself out of the plane with reckless  
abandon.

Buffy started to walk forward, but Xander barred her path.

"Buffy, before we jump, I just want you to know that I'm sorry for  
what I said on the tarmac." Xander admitted. He had to bend over  
to shout it in her ear. "I guess I let how scared I still get for  
you take over my mouth."

Buffy smiled. "I forgive you." She yelled back. "But don't use  
your god child like that again, Xan, or I'll be forced to tell her   
the story about how I kicked her God-daddy's ass."

Xander grinned and shrugged. "I've lived in a world without you  
Buffy, and I never want to have to do it again." he shouted back.

Buffy smiled wordlessly at Xander and walked over to the open door.  
She mouthed something that would have been inaudible to anyone not  
invested with Hyena senses and then jumped out of the plane.

Xander grinned and followed. As he jumped he whispered, "Yeah Buff,  
I know you love me."

End of Part One


End file.
